Holiday Music Roundup: Matt Wertz, Hawk Nelson, Matthew West, Michael Bublé, The Jigsaw Seen, She & Him and Jim Brickman

Not a holiday season goes by without countless artists from all corners of the musical universe throwing their sonic Santa hats into the ring. This year is no different, with the far-flung likes of She & Him, Matt Wertz, Jim Brickman and Michael Bublé having released Christmas albums.

If you're planning a Christmas shindig or just wrapping presents over the coming week, the titles below should provide a worthy soundtrack.

Artist: Matt Wertz

Title: Snow Globe

Worth buying: Yes

You might be interested in this CD if you like: Matt Nathanson, John Mayer, Gavin DeGraw, Jon McLaughlin

Tell Me More: Since the early 2000s, this Missouri native has put out several albums – both independently and on major labels, while landing high profile soundtrack slots in films and TV shows. His breezy adult contemporary pop/rock always goes down easy and Snow Globe (Provident/Essential) is no exception. Half are holiday standards (a sleek and jazzy “White Christmas” features frequent collaborator/touring partner Dave Barnes; the instrumental “Christmastime is Here” by Vince Guaraldi).

On a low-key “Tennessee Christmas,” the singer/guitarist goes into hushed vocal mode with an assist by its songwriter, Amy Grant. Wertz’s originals are all impressive, especially the finger-snapping, banjo-filled title track, smooth and romantic “Christmas in the City” and horn-laden R&B of “Wake Up, Wake Up.”

-George A. Paul

Get Snow Globe (Right now only 6.99)!

 

Artist: Hawk Nelson

Title: Christmas

Worth buying: Yes

You might be interested in this CD if you like: Relient K, MxPx, New Found Glory, early blink-182

Tell Me More: In recent years, Hawk Nelson has been a regular presence on Air 1 radio stations and Contemporary Christian Music festivals around the U.S. – including FishFest in Irvine, Calif., where I once was impressed by their supercharged performance. Now the fresh-faced Canadian punk/pop group has unleashed Christmas through BEC Records.

Speeding by in 15 minutes, the fun and refreshing 7-song holiday EP doesn’t wear out its welcome. “Joy to the World” starts a capella, then turns into pure comedy as lead singer Jason Dunn tries to outdo his band mates with a rebel yell. Bonus points go to the guys for not always tackling the obvious, like the strident “Here We Come A-Wassailing” and cowpunk of “Up on the Housetop.”

-George A. Paul

Get Hawk Nelson Here - Right now only $6.10!

Artist: Matthew West

Title: The Heart of Christmas

Worth buying: Yes

You might be interested in this CD if you like: Shawn Mullins, Chris Tomlin, previous West releases

Tell Me More: Best known for Christian AC radio chart toppers “More,” “You Are Everything” and “The Motions,” West has been putting out albums since the late ‘90s. The gregarious singer/songwriter’s The Heart of Christmas (Sparrow) is religious in nature, but doesn’t get too heavy in that realm. Musically eclectic, the songs range from classic big band (“Jingle Bells”), Dixieland-meets-gospel (“O Come, All Ye Faithful) and endearing soul (“Come On Christmas”).

West penned seven of the 12 tracks here and his usual poignant storytelling really comes to the fore (an emotional, folk-leaning “One Last Christmas,” based on the true story of a boy dying of Leukemia; acoustic guitar-based ballad “Leaving Heaven,” featuring Vince Gill’s warm pipes). That country superstar’s wife Amy Grant – boy, she sure got around this year – guests on “Give This Christmas Away.” Keeping with the family-friendly vibe, one of West’s young daughters sings briefly on a hidden final track.

-George A. Paul

Get In The Heart Of Christmas (right now only 8.99)!

  

Artist: Michael Bublé

Title: Christmas

Worth buying: Yes

You might be interested in this CD if you like: Harry Connick Jr., Tony Bennett, Bobby Darin, other Bublé albums or his 2003 holiday EP, Let it Snow

Tell Me More: Before becoming a household name, Bublé was inspired to pursue a career as a pop/jazz singer after continuously listening to an old Bing Crosby Christmas album. So it’s no surprise that the Canadian crooner finally did a full-length holiday collection of his own.

Christmas (Reprise) assembles 14 classics and one original (“Cold December Night”) that recalls “Haven’t Me You Yet.” London swing vocal trio The Puppini Sisters and the musicians bring an Andrews Sisters-meets-Hot-Club-of-Cowtown vibe to “Jingle Bells,” while Naturally 7 add doo wop to a peppy “White Christmas,” featuring Shania Twain. Bublé even goes international: there’s a reverent “Ave Maria” with choir and a duet in Spanish with Mexican superstar Thalia.

Standouts are an ebullient, Phil Spector-styled “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” with rock drummer Josh Freese and guitarist Keith Scott and dramatic “All I Want For Christmas is You,” anchored by the legendary Jim Keltner and a string/horn section arranged by Jon Brion.

-George A. Paul

Get Michael Buble Christmas here

Artist: The Jigsaw Seen

Title: Winterland

Worth buying: Yes

You might be interested in this CD if you like: Early Phil Spector productions, Arthur Lee & Love, Nuggets compilations, The Posies

Tell Me More: Members of this L.A.-based underground chamber pop act have collaborated/toured with Rufus Wainwright, David Gray and Maria McKee in the past. Last year, their first new studio album in a decade came out. So this seasonal effort on Vibrophonic Recordings is a quicker-than-usual turnaround.

The lyrics lean toward the melancholy side; the Sixties psychedelia-influenced sound contains bits of mellotron, chamberlain, arp axe (!) and organ (the latter comes courtesy of Dramarama’s Morley Bartnoff). Kinks guitarist Dave Davies adds subtle vocals to Jigsaw Seen’s lone cover: Gordon Lightfoot’s “Circle of Steel.” Elsewhere, the band douses “Christmas Behind Me” in reverb, gives “Candy Cane” is jangly blissful sheen and “Winterland’s Gone” becomes idyllic, colored by flute and clarinet.

-George A. Paul

Get Winterland Here

Artist: She & Him

Title: A Very She & Him Christmas

Worth buying: Yes

You might be interested in this CD if you like: Aimee Mann's 2006 holiday album One More Drifter in the Snow, She & Him's previous albums

Tell Me More: There is a timeless feel to A Very She & Him Christmas (Merge), a collection that finds Zooey Deschanel (She) and M. Ward (Him) fusing their magical mix of retro pop and modern-day melancholy to tackle more than a dozen Christmas gems. From the breezy western-swing version of "Sleigh Ride" and early '60s-styled "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" to the sparse "The Christmas Song" and "Silver Bells" (the latter which finds Deschanel's emotive soprano positioned against her own ukulele work in one of the most original arrangements I've ever heard of that song), this is very much an authentic She & Him album. A Very She & Him Christmas, indeed.

-Robert Kinsler

Get A Very She & Him Christmas Here

 

Artist: Jim Brickman

Title: All Is Calm

Worth buying: Yes

You might be interested in this CD if you like: Jim Brickman's previous albums, instrumental piano music

Tell Me More: There is a simplicity and beauty to pianist Jim Brickman's interpretations of some of the holiday's most loved songs on his ambitious All Is Calm (Somerset), a collection that also features several of his own compositions. Highlights include a tender arrangement of "Gloria In Excelsis Deo" and a lush version of "Away In A Manger" with soaring flute (played by Sam Levine) and distant Celtic vocals courtesy of Erinn Bates that add textures around Brickman's piano. Whether performing old English carols ("Coventry Carol"), original works (the infectious "Fa La La La La") or seasonal favorites ("O Come All Ye Faithful"), Brickman's All Is Calm creates a peaceful mood in tune with those who refuse to get too stressed out by the holiday season.

-Robert Kinsler

Get All Is Calm Here

Robert's Holiday Round Up Part 1

With Christmas rapidly approaching, there is no time like the present to check out the latest holiday-minded music collections. If you have no idea of what is worth a listen, Santa's discerning music-loving elf is here to help. I recommend any or all of the releases featured here.

Artist: Annie Lennox

Title: A Christmas Cornucopia

You will be interested in this if you are a fan of: Annie Lennox, Eurythmics, Sting's "If On a Winter's Night..."

Tell Me More: "A Christmas Cornucopia" will surely surprise long-time fans of Annie Lennox. The one-time Eurythmics singer has found a way to perform many of the most beloved songs pulled from the British, German and French traditions and infuse them with her own style without losing what makes the original classics so magical. "In the Bleak Midwinter" starts out sparsely with Lennox's voice accompanied by an  acoustic guitar before the addition of her own multi-layered vocals and other instrumentation brings rising power to the proceedings. But then the song returns to

a more quiet and hushed realm, her emotions and those of the song itself on full display.

What about the packaging? The CD comes in a standard jewel case, but the collection comes with a wonderful 16-page booklet that features details about the project and each of the songs.

listen to samples get Annie Lennox's A  Christmas Cornucopia here

Artist: Sean Smith

Title: Christmas

You will be interested in this if you are a fan of: Bruce Cockburn's instrumental guitar playing, Richard LaForge's "Coloring Trees," Steve Wariner's "Guitar Christmas"

Tell Me More: Whether plucking, strumming or bending the strings on his acoustic guitar, there is truly magic at work across Sean Smith's newly-released "Christmas" release. Even if you have heard dozens of different versions of "The First Noel," "Good King Wenceslas" or "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing," the instrumental versions arranged and performed by Smith soar. Recorded at Grace Cathedral in San Franciso, fans of classic carols and first-rate instrumental guitar will cherish Smith's first-ever holiday collection. I know I do.

What about the packaging? The CD comes in a mini-album format with a beautiful cover photographed by Marc Dantona. There are liner notes from Smith, and an overview of where and when the fantastic collection was recorded.

Listen to samples and get Sean Smith's Christmas here

Artist: Shelby Lynne

Title: Christmas

You will be interested in this if you are a fan of: Shelby Lynne, Indigo Girls' "Holly Happy Days," Kerry Getz's "It's a Wonderful Life"

Tell Me More: Part of the power of Christmas music is - when performed well – it taps into the richest of traditions and is comprised of equal dashes of joy and melancholy. And so while modern-day artists releasing holiday collections in 2010 have to compete with the memories of legendary Christmas albums from the beloved likes of Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Johnny Mathis, Elvis Presley and the Vince Guaraldi Trio ("A Charlie Brown Christmas"), they ultimately benefit from fans' shared love of those legendary recordings in welcoming new holiday discs. Listening to Shelby Lynne's newly-issued "Merry Christmas," it's clear how much the singer loves the music of the season. Whether singing her own blues-minded originals (the rousing "Ain't Nothin' Like Christmas" and more laid-back "XMAS"), or interpretations of classics such as Guaraldi's "Christmas Time Is Here" and Irving Berlin's "White Christmas," Lynne's collection is a delight across its 11 tracks. In particular, her version of the powerful "O Holy Night" may well be one of the more original in memory, with Lynne opting to tackle the powerful song with sparse accompaniment (most popular singers seem to prefer a full orchestra on that one).

What about the packaging? I was sent an advance of the album, so I can't comment on all details of the packaging. The cover of "Merry Christmas" features a photograph of Lynne taken when she was age four, playing in the snow in her Mobile, Alabama front yard.

Listen to samples and get Shelby Lynn's Christmas here

Artist: Curt Smith

Title: "This Is Christmas" (single available via a signed physical CD or via

iTunes/Amazon?)

You will be interested in this if you are a fan of: Curt Smith, Tears For Fears

Tell Me More: Curt Smith, co-founder of Tears for Fears, has released his first-ever holiday song. And while "This Is Christmas" was apparently penned for use in a Christmas-minded episode of USA Network's series "Psych" scheduled to air on Dec. 15, the song sounds joyous on its own. Not only does Smith use his distinctive tenor, but a choir of children's voices complete the festive recording. You can purchase the single via Amazon.com or listen to the song at http://curtsmithofficial.com/.

What about the packaging: “This Is Christmas” is available as a stand-alone single and is available in digital format from his website, iTunes, Amazon MP3, and other online retailers. It is also be available as a signed, limited edition CD single, sold only at concerts and via Smith’s website at http://curtsmithofficial.com/.

You can get it at the Amazon Mp3 store here!

Artist: Steve Wariner
Title: Guitar Christmas
You will be interested in this if you are a fan of: Sean Smith's "Christmas" and Richard LaForge's "Coloring Trees"
Tell Me More: Although Steve Wariner has long been recognized for his considerable talents as a singer and songwriter on the country music scene, the Indiana native is equally celebrated for his talents as a virtuoso guitarist and those skills are front and center on "Guitar Christmas." From the beautiful version of "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" and "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" to the jazz-tinged "White Christmas" and "Winter Wonderland" and fingerpicking-anchored "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," Wariner's original arrangements and stunning performances shine. He even displays his skills on the dulcimer courtesy of a traditional-mining version of "I Saw Three Ships."  What about the packaging? The CD comes in a standard jewel case, but the collection comes with a nice 4-page booklet that features details about each of the recordings, including the specific instruments Wariner used on each track.

Listen to samples and get Guitar Christmas here

Artist: Various Artists
Title: Sleigh Ride
You will be interested in this if you are a fan of: Frank Sinatra, Pink Martini, Rosanne Cash, Elvis Presley, modern holiday music
Tell Me More: Chances are if you have walked into any Starbuck's Coffeehouse since Thanksgiving, you have spotted a copy of the chain's latest holiday collection. "Sleigh Ride" boasts a rich mix of classics and newly-recorded material.Because the music covers several generations, there is indeed a bit of something for everybody. Elvis Presley's "Blue Christmas," John Lennon's "Happy XMAS (War is Over)" and XTC's "Thanks for Christmas" may seem at odds with the Rat Pack approach of Frank Sinatra ("Jingle Bells") and Dean Martin ("Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer"), but the disc's wide-ranging approach really captures the timeless magic of the season across 16 tracks.Rosanne Cash recorded her acoustic-minded version of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" exclusively for the collection and it is one of the standouts on the disc.
What about the packaging? The CD comes in a six-panel design, complete with a colorful, fully-illustrated booklet with details about each of the recordings on the collection.

Listen to Samples and get Sleigh Ride here

Music Worth Buying 12/16/08 Carol of the Bellss - The Bird And The Bee

 

Artist: The Bird And The Bee

Song: Carol of the Bells

Worth Buying: Yes! 

You will be interested in this song if you like: Carol Of The Bells and cool twists on holiday favorites

 

Tell Me More: 

Hark how the bells, sweet silver bells,

all seem to say,  throw cares away

Christmas is here, bringing good cheer

to young and old, meek and the bold

Ding dong ding dong that is their song

with joyful ring, all caroling

One seems to hear, words of good cheer

from everywhere, filling the air

Oh how they pound, raising the sound

o'er hill and dale, telling their tale

Gaily they ring, while people sing

songs of good cheer, Christmas is here

Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas,

Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas,

On on they send, on without end,

their joyful tone, to every home

Pretty isn't it? It's the original English lyrics to Carol of the Bells. Originally composed by Ukrainian composer Mykola Dmytrovych Leontovych and was premiered in 1916. The English lyrics would come later in 1936 by Peter Wilhousky (A more recent version would come about in 1946 by Minna Louise Hohman).

It's amazing how different a piece of music can sound to you when it's taken out of it's context. When I first heard this song it must have been in another language or it must have been an instrumental version, because Christmas was the last thing it made me think of. I was just a small boy and it felt dark and scary to me. But I loved it. Because it was mysterious sounding and filled my childhood head with a sense of mystery and wonder.

The best way I can describe how this song made my young mind feel, would be to say that it felt like I was standing in the middle of dark wood. And the trees and skies where whispering secret messages to me that I couldn't understand. 

Later I would find out it was Christmas song and some of it's mystery was taken away by this fact. But it still sounded very powerful to me, and I still loved it.

As a teenager (and long before I was any kind of  serious musician) I would parody the song in numerous ways by making up my own lyrics to it (Don't laugh, Weird Al made a career doing this).

A year ago (to my delight) I found a fantastic version of this song by the group The Bird And The Bee (Whose self titled album was reviewed on this very site). For the first time this song feels like a Christmas song to me. It feels happy. It feels like a celebration of the holidy. So this week on I would like to recommend The Bird and the Bee's version of Carol of the Bells.

 listen to and purchase Carole of the Bells by The Bird And The Bee

Robert Kinsler's Holiday Music Wrap Up

Guest writer Robert Kinsler 

It's not surprising that an ever-growing number of artists release Christmas-minded collections around the holidays. The good news for fans of such recordings is that the past few years have yielded an especially-strong number of albums in tune with the season.

So while 2007 revealed the memorable "Christmas Songs" from Jars of Clay and rollicking "Christmas with the Smithereens," an equally sharp field of 2008-issued discs seems positioned to blast over the speakers at Santa's toy factory this year.



"The Dawn of Grace" (Nettwerk Music) features the recently-reunited Sixpence None the Richer-led Leigh Nash revisiting eight traditional Christmas songs, including a stirring rendition of "Angels We Have Heard On High" and tender "Silent Night," the latter showcasing the artful guest vocals of Jars of Clay lead singer Dan Haseltine. Two original tracks, "The Last Christmas" and "Christmas for Two," highlight the pleasing folk-rock approach of the Grammy-nominated group.

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Although not as well known as the aforementioned Jars of Clay and Sixpence None the Richer that she is touring with as part of the Love Came Down: A Christmas Pageant throughout December, Sara Groves' "O Holy Night" (Integrity Media) is a strong 12-song collection sure to win the one-time Rosemont, Minnesota high school teacher more followers.

Because Groves' voice works best when singing emotive material in hushed arrangements (think Shawn Colvin), standards such as "O Holy Night" and "Angels We Have Heard on High" are reworked to focus on the lyrics and melodies with refreshing insight.

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The fourth full-length album from Texas-based Los Lonely Boys is "Christmas Spirit" (Sony Records) a 10-song collection that features outstanding takes at "Run Run Rudolph" and "Away in a Manger," as well as a flamenco-flavored instrumental take on "Cancion de las Campanas (Carol of the Bells)."

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Rosie Thomas' "A Very Rosie Christmas" (Sing-a-long Records) will please fans of the Seattle-based indie singer-songwriter, as well as lovers of traditional Christmas albums. Her voice draws comparisons with Joni Mitchell, so it's no surprise a version of that singer's "River" works so well here. She brings a nice dose of melancholy to reworked selections of "Christmastime Is Here" and "Silent Night," making the songs her own.

Thomas is currently planning her first-ever Christmas tour, which includes a stop at Hotel Café in Hollywood on Dec. 9.

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Of all the season's new holiday-minded entries, few are as adventuresome as "Jingle All the Way" (Rounder Records) the latest album from Grammy-winning banjo virtuoso Béla Fleck and the Flecktones. While the track list includes plenty of well-known standards ("O Come All Ye Faithful," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "Silent Night"), the delivery is all about style and innovation.

Highlights abound, including impressive renditions of the Vince Guaraldi Peanuts gems "Linus and Lucy" and "Christmas Time Is Here."

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The Boxmasters bridge the gap between yuletide classics and rockabilly on the trio's latest, "Christmas Cheer" (Vanguard Records). If you haven't heard of the Boxmasters, you've surely heard of at least one member of the group; actor Billy Bob Thornton handles lead vocals and drumming duties in the band. He is joined by bassist-guitarist J.D. Andrew and lap steel-lead guitarist Mike Butler on versions of "Silver Bells," "Blue Christmas" and John Lennon's "Happy X-Mas (War Is Over)," as well as several Thornton-penned originals.

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One of the original heroes of the rockabilly revival movement of the 1980s has become a champion of holiday-themed releases in the '00s.



The Brian Setzer Orchestra has released the 2-disc "Ultimate Christmas Collection," a best of set that also includes a new recording of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town." The release also features a full-length concert on DVD that was filmed at Universal Amphitheatre in December 2004.

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If it's Christmas, chances are Mannheim Steamroller is issuing another holiday offering. The group's 2008 collection, "Christmasville" (American Gramaphone), includes a number of songs from the "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" animated classic (including "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" and "Welcome Christmas"). This release also marks the first Mannheim Steamroller album with vocals on every track.

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Although Enya released the 4-song "Christmas Secrets" in 2006, the Irish singer has issued a full-length album of new material in 2008. "And Winter Came..." features a range of holiday material boasting her distinctive vocals and Celtic-tinged new age style.

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Although Al Jarreau has enjoyed a celebrated career stretching back to the mid-1970s, 2008 marks the first time he has released a Christmas album. His aptly-titled "Christmas" is also his first album of new studio recordings since 2006. "Christmas" features the R&B singer's take on a dozen classics, including "The Christmas Song" and "Winter Wonderland."

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Christian rockers Third Day released the excellent "Christmas Offerings" in 2006, and completed a full-length Christmastime tour in 2007. One of those full-length shows was videotaped and has just been released on the similarly-titled "Third Day: Christmas Offerings" (Sony Music Videos) a DVD that finds the Georgia outfit performing gems such as "Do You Hear What I Hear" and "O Come All Ye Faithful," as well as their own "God Of Wonders" as part of the 13-song set.

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Although Johnny Cash died in 2003, his enormous and wide-ranging body of work continues to be reissued. Several recent releases have special significance this season, with Shout! Factory having issued a 4-DVD box set that includes his annual Christmas specials shown on CBS television between 1976 and 1979. The holiday specials are also available individually.

There are highlights on all four programs, but the 1977 special includes an all-star tribute to Elvis Presley that features Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison playing together.

Get your Johnny Cash Christmas here



Bibles On DVD has released "Johnny Cash: Chapter & Verse," a DVD-CD set featuring Cash's 19-hour narration of the New King James Version New Testament on DVD with an accompanying CD featuring 14 of Cash's gospel hits.

Get Chapter and Verse Here



With the upcoming arrival of Hanukkah on Dec. 21, Shout! Factory is issuing the perfectly-timed "The Heart and Humor of a People," a collection of classic Jewish songs newly-recorded for the 13-song disc. An especially eclectic mix of musicians and actors have recorded tracks, including Neil Sadaka, Herb Albert, Max Weinberg (Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band), Dave Koz, Barbara Streisand, Jason Alexander and Adam Sandler.

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There are a number of other noteworthy holiday-related collections that have been issued in recent weeks, including Yo-Yo Ma's "Songs of Joy & Peace," Mary Chapin Carpenter's "Come Darkness, Come Light: Twelve Songs of Christmas," Tony Bennett's "A Swingin' Christmas," Casting Crowns' first-ever Christmas album "Peace On Earth," Melissa Etheridge's "A New Thought for Christmas," Sarah Brightman's "A Winter Symphony," Harry Connick Jr.'s "What a Night! A Christmas Album" and Mindy Smith's "My Holiday."



And finally, "We Wish You a Metal XMAS and a Headbanging New Year" features performances by genre heavyweights such as Alice Cooper, Vinny Appice, Ronnie James Dio and Tommy Shaw as they tackle well-known holiday songs.

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